Fergus Ewing claims Nicola Sturgeon’s leadership led to an obsession with ideology, impacting the SNP’s direction and policies.
Edinburgh: Fergus Ewing, a former Cabinet Secretary, criticized Nicola Sturgeon. He said she took the SNP in a direction that wouldn’t work. He believes she became obsessed with ideology, equality, and gender issues.
Ewing, a veteran SNP MSP, pointed to the time when the Greens joined the Scottish Government. He felt this was a wrong turn for the party.
Sturgeon was the SNP leader and first minister when the power-sharing deal happened after the 2021 election. Ewing shared his thoughts in an interview with the Institute for Government think tank.
He mentioned that he and Sturgeon parted on good terms when he left her cabinet in 2021. However, he later became a vocal critic of the Greens’ involvement in government.
Ewing previously called the Greens “winebar revolutionaries.” He was the only one in his group to oppose their inclusion in the government. He worried that the SNP would be “tarnished by association” with the Greens’ policies.
He noted that Sturgeon’s views changed over time. He felt she became overly focused on ideology and gender issues. Ewing, who voted against same-sex marriage, believes in treating others with respect.
He stated that government should run things, not dictate how people live. Since leaving the cabinet, Ewing has criticized the Scottish Government on various issues, including the A9 road project.
Ewing plans to keep voicing his concerns as a backbencher. He feels it’s his right to speak freely and intends to do so vigorously.
